Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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89. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of the agreement to cap visitors to Skellig Michael at 11,100 annually under terms agreed with UNESCO and An Taisce's concerns regarding the branding of the islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3068/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The reference to 11,100 visitors in the 2008 - 2018 Management Plan for Skellig Michael published by the then Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government in 2008 is not to a cap or upper limit on visitor numbers.

The 2008-18 Plan set out the approach to site management across a broad range of issues, including the control measures necessary to manage visitor access. The reference to the figure in question was as an indicator of historic visitor numbers. The exact text of the report states that:

“The average number of visitors per season in the period since 1995 is c. 11,100, a figure that, having been monitored over a period of 13 seasons, is deemed sustainable in terms of protection of the National Monument.”

Rather than prescribing a defined annual maximum on visitor numbers, the approach in the Management Plan is to set a limited daily quota.  The arrangements have been notified to UNESCO and have not been identified as being in any way inimical to the outstanding universal value of the site.

In tandem with visits to Skellig Michael being subject to a daily limit, local weather and sea conditions also often result in boats being unable to land safely. I understand that the typical experience over several years is that approximately 40% to 45% of landing attempts fail during an average season which also acts as a limiting factor.

In the context of the maintenance of that daily visitor cap and the other natural and built heritage protections in place for the Island, and the ongoing work of my Department and the OPW, I believe that the unique heritage of this important monument is being protected while also allowing visitors from Ireland and across the world to experience this iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site off the Irish coast.